Jonathan Davies opens up about frustrating year

In an honest interview with walesonline.co.za, Lions and Welsh centre Jonathan Davies has opened up about what has evidently been the most difficult period of his career. 

 

Two years ago, it was almost unthinkable to suggest that the talented centre would not be in Warren Gatland’s 2021 British & Irish Lions touring party bound for South Africa. However, the 33 year old did indeed miss out on selection as a lack of form plagued him during a frustrating period which he found very difficult to deal with. 

 

"Last season was tough for everyone, having to be careful with Covid bubbles and everything," Davies said. 

 

"On a personal note, I’ve struggled massively with not having crowds. 

 

"It’s one of the best things about being a professional rugby player, getting the bus into the ground, seeing the fans and when you come out to sing the anthem seeing all those red jerseys. 

 

"When you’ve played a number of regional games and Test matches, there are certain things that spark you. 

 

"Playing for your country you’ve always got that spark, that bus journey from the Vale and seeing all the cars and fans, you know it’s showtime then. 

 

"That’s when you get that added little bit of adrenaline and I personally found it difficult without crowds. 

 

"It’s the added pressure of performing in front of thousands that boys love and it’s not quite the same when the stands are empty. 

 

"I think people were trying to overthink it as well. 

"Certain teams would turn up with 14, 15 travelling reserves just to create a bit more noise and to try and create their own atmosphere." 

 

Davies also found the broken and unpredictable nature of last season a real challenge. 

 

"I was probably frustrated with how broken it was," he said. 

 

"With certain games being called off, it was stop-start. 

 

"Boys like to play in a run of matches. 

 

"If you get five or six games in a block, you feel in a better position as a rugby player, personally anyway. 

 

"Where you are playing two weeks, one-week break, and so on, it is difficult to get that consistency. 

 

"I like to play as much as I can because I think I play better then. That’s where my frustration came from." 

 

Davies gave a pretty honest assessment of his own form from last year: 

 

"I would say average. 

 

"There were definitely huge positives - to win the Six Nations again and to captain my country. 

 

"I enjoyed the captaincy. To lead my country was a very proud moment for me. 

 

"But because of the difficulties of being in bubbles, everyone in lockdown, not being able to see friends and family, it was probably one of the most difficult seasons everyone’s been involved in. 

 

"It was just the nature of the beast. You just had to keep on going. 

 

"From a personal point of view, coming back from a knee injury and then picking up a bump just after Christmas wasn’t ideal. 

 

"Everyone would have been frustrated with certain aspects of the whole season, whether it was their performance, crowds or whatever. 

 

"You feel sorry for the boys who had their first caps in games behind closed doors. Hopefully that won’t ever happen again." 

 

With the worst of the pandemic seemingly behind us, Davies is looking forward to playing in front of a full-house again. 

 

"Everyone’s looking forward to it," he said. 

 

"To have full capacities back in the stadium, it’s hugely exciting. 

 

"The games will be extremely difficult but, as a team, we want to test ourselves against the best. 

 

"Looking at the opposition, they’re definitely four of the best sides in world rugby and that’s exciting. 

 

"There is going to be pressure on us to perform, but the group of players selected will enjoy that pressure in front of crowds. 

 

"It’s one of the reasons why you play, to play in front of those crowds against the best teams. 

 

"There’s no place like the Principality when it’s full. I’ve been fortunate to play in front of big crowds here and to see that coming back, with tickets going on sale, hopefully the Welsh public will be excited about that too. 

 

"It will be great to have people back in here. 

 

"Even in the summer, having 8,000 people here made a huge difference. Times that by 10 nearly and it’s going to be special. 

 

"Can you imagine the first game with a full crowd in the stadium? Hold on to your hats!" 

 

 

"Sometimes after games, when there’s been a full crowd and you’ve been trying to get someone’s attention during a game and they can’t hear you, hopefully you’ve had a good win and you can talk about the fact you couldn’t hear them and you’re only five metres away." 

 

“It’s looking forward to that whole aspect again, and we’re going to have to get used to it again. 

 

"There are boys who started their careers during Covid who are going to have to get used to that noise. 

 

"It’s going to be a great experience for us all, that Test rugby will be back to what it normally is."